1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a method and apparatus of salvaging underwater tubular elongated objects such as pipe/pipelines in a marine environment. More particularly, the present invention relates to an improved method and apparatus for removing pipelines and like objects from an underwater environment, the method employing a specially configured cutting apparatus having one or more hydraulic cylinders that push a moving v-shaped notched blade toward a fixed v-shaped notched blade, the blades overlapping during cutting and wherein structural rails or guides holds the moving blade in between the fixed blade and the rails or guides and wherein each blade has a beveled cutting edge that faces away from the beveled cutting edge of the other blade.
2. General Background of the Invention
In the offshore oil and gas industry and in other marine environments, there are a number of old, damaged or abandoned pipelines or sections of pipe that scatter the seabed. At times, catastrophic events such as hurricanes damage pipelines beyond repair so that they must be removed from the seabed with a salvage operation. Pipelines can be scattered over miles and in very deep water making salvage operations difficult and expensive.
The following possibly related U.S. patents are incorporated herein by reference:
TABLEU.S. PAT. NO.TITLEISSUE DATE1,326,460Shear MechanismDec. 30, 19191,798,106Shears for Cutting ProfiledMar. 24, 1931Material4,168,729Underwater Self-Gripping PileSep. 25, 1979Cutting Device4,197,828Apparatus for Cutting ConcreteApr. 15, 1980Columns4,124,015Device for Cutting In ParticularNov. 7, 1978Reinforced Concrete Piles3,056,267Method and Apparatus for RemovingOct. 2, 1962from Submerged Sites Portions ofPreviously Driven Piles2,135,911Shearing or Cutting ToolNov. 8, 19363,817,133Glass ShearJun. 18, 19741,986,633Single Staying Machine CutterJan. 1, 19356,761,100Stud CutterJul. 13, 2004